Crispy Fried Shrimp

Fried shrimp is one of my favorite fun foods. As a young girl I looked forward to those special occasions when we went out for dinner so that I could order the fried shrimp. I never got tired of eating it. With just a little effort it is possible to have fried shrimp at home that are better than any I have eaten in a restaurant.

In this recipe I use panko breadcrumbs, which make the shrimp extra crispy. I use jumbo shrimp, but you can use smaller ones if you like, but I would not go smaller than the “large” shrimp. Typically I serve it with cocktail sauce and tartar sauce. There are simple recipes included below.

Prepare the breadcrumbs and set aside. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with paper towel. With a sharp knife, butterfly the shrimp. Make a slit in the middle of the end of each shrimp, about half way through the length of the shrimp. There are two reasons for doing this; one, they look nicer butterflied, and two, it flattens them out so that they can be fried in less oil.

Place the butterflied shrimp on a plate and sprinkle a little salt and black pepper on both sides.

Now, set up for the breading process. Take two large plates — on one place the flour, on the other put 1/2 of the breadcrumbs. In a bowl, whisk 2 eggs and 1/4 cup milk.

Dredge the shrimp first into the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally into the breadcrumbs. Cover completely and press down on each side to help the crumbs to adhere to the shrimp. If you have time, it is helpful to let the breaded shrimp rest in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. This helps the breading to adhere.

Pour enough canola oil into the bottom of a large skillet to about a 1/8″ depth. Heat on a medium-high flame. Do not add shrimp until the oil is hot. You know the oil is ready when you drop a few bread crumbs in and they sizzle.

Do not over crowd the pan. Shrimp cook very quickly. Cook them about 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. If they are browning too quickly, lower the flame a little. If you are using smaller shrimp, the cook time will be less.